Yunnan province in southwestern China plans to spend 30 million yuan (about US$3.6 million) to build a botanic garden in Yuanjiang and Xinping counties to protect local rare and precious plants.
The botanic garden is an important part of the China Biology Valley, where many scientific research institutes and universities are located.
The biology valley is designated to focus on the massive and specialized development of biological resources and development of biological high technologies.
Covering a total area of more than 350 hectares, the botanic garden will be divided into several parts including a zone for special plants in the dry and warm river valley, one for economic plants, one for pulp plants, one for sapling cultivation, a cultural zone for ethnic culture and other facilities, said sources with the Yunnan Provincial Forestry Bureau.
(Xinhua News Agency February 10, 2002)
